Back from the brink: Heather Watson stages incredible comeback at Australian Open

British No. 1 had to receive treatment before coming back against Alexandra Cadantu to win her first ever Grand Slam match down under

True Brit: Watson won four games in a row from 3-2 down in the second set

Heather Watson staged a Lazarus-style comeback this morning to win her first ever match at the Australian Open.

The British No 1 looked dead and buried when she lost the first set to Romanian Alexandra Cadantu - and then needed an injury timeout.

But the former US Open junior champion then sprang into life and won the next four games while only dropping five points. And the rejuvnated Guernsey star then ran the Romanian ragged to win a remarkable match 2-6 6-3 6-2.

The world No 91 Cadantu completely collapsed and showed why she has never won a Grand Slam match.

Watson had pulled out of her final warm-up tournament in Hobart with an elbow injury and she looked far from happy in the first half of this match played in a swirling breeze on Court 13. The world No 50 started with a double fault and resorted to moon-balling her opponent as she lost her serve in three consecutive games in a terrible first set.

Despite the courtside presence of Fed Cup captain Judy Murray, Watson could not find her game and she had on-court treatment at 3-2 down. She had her pulse taken and ears checked by a doctor. Cadantu also received treatment on her foot and shoulder.

But after the long pause, Watson came out firing and won the next four games.

Finally playing her groundstrokes with conviction, Watson outclassed the Romanian in the final set as the sizable British support around Court 13 finally had something to cheer.

It was a better opening day of the Australian Open than last year when all five British players lost - including Watson to eventual champion Victoria Azarenka - before Andy Murray started his journey to the semi-finals.

The US Open champion plays the first match in the Rod Laver Arena - the Centre Court - against Dutchman Robin Haase at 11am local time (midnight GMT). Jamie Baker and Laura Robson are also in action overnight.

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Double bagel: Sharapova breezed through without dropping a game

Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams remain on collision course for a third round showdown after dropping only one game between them in their opening matches.

The American, a finalist here in 2003, needed only an hour to beat Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan 6-1 6-0.

The 2008 champion Sharapova achieved the feat of a double bagel in every Grand Slam after destroying fellow Russian Olga Puchkova 6-0 6-0.

"I don't really think time matters and the scorelines," said Sharapova.

"We both went out to play matches today and we both won. That's the bottom line."

Home favourite Sam Stosur, who lost in the first round last year as reigning US Open champion, beat Chang Kai-Chen of Taiwan 7-6 6-3.

The No 9 seed, who has never got past the fourth round here, said: "Obviously I feel very happy, a little bit relieved, and, just nice to get through that first round finally. You know, from here hopefully I can loosen up a little bit and keep playing better and better."

Novak Djokovic beat Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu in 102 minutes - four hours and 11 minutes less than his last appearance here in last year's final against Rafa Nadal. The No 1 seed won 6-2 6-4 7-5.Wu Di will become the first Chinese man to play in a Grand Slam in the Open era when he takes on Ivan Dodig of Croatia.